Man Up
by tippy093
Summary: A requested one-shot, AU/AH - When Lauren discovers she is pregnant, she is worried how her boyfriend will react.


**AN:** This is just a little one-shot written for iheartnatebuzz. I hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

><p>I rolled over and was struck by the coldness of the space next to me. It had been a long time since I slept alone. Ever since I met Kol Mikaelson over a year ago through my best friend, I have spent almost every night with him. We began dating only a few days after meeting and things have been going smoothly. For the most part. Except that time three months ago when I asked him if he wanted to move in together. Kol kind of freaked out on me and told me that we were moving way too fast. Come to think of it, that was the last time I slept alone. During the two weeks we were fighting and Kol was pulling away from me. I knew it had been a mistake when I first brought it up, but I truly love him. I fell hard and fast for the handsome, British businessman. After two weeks, I was the one who caved. I apologized and told him that I respected his need to slow down. I knew he loved me, but his reactions, paired with his sister's constant reminders that Kol is afraid of commitment, always worried me. I suppose I would rather us have this semi-serious, always crashing at each other's places kind of relationship than nothing at all. So, here we are, dating and always sleeping over at each other's places, except last night. Last night, Kol was pulled away by one of his older brother's for a three day long business trip. I missed him, but his work is important. And I know that if I don't give him space, he will just push me away again. My thoughts of Kol were interrupted by the sudden twisting of my stomach and my urge to throw up. I sped out of bed, ignoring the cold air on my body and flew into the bathroom. I barely made it to the toilet before the contents of my stomach were emptied out. My stomach continued to twist in pain, until I had cleared everything in my system. It was almost miraculous, how I felt much better right away. I peeled myself up off the floor and quickly washed my face and my mouth, as now my stomach was growling in hunger. I dragged myself into my kitchen and began rummaging through cupboards and my fridge to find something to eat. For some reason most of the things I pulled out just didn't sound appetizing. I ended up settling on two pieces of toast, slathered with peanut butter. I glanced at the clock and realized I was going to be late for work if I didn't hurry. My upset stomach had really put a dent in my morning routine. I scrambled through my shower and getting dressed. I made sure to grab my back pack, as I had a couple of my grad classes tonight after work. I was thankful for my grad classes right now, because they would help keep my mind off of Kol being gone. I went through my day as I normally would, though my stomach still seemed a little unsettled. I couldn't seem to eat much, as it would start to feel like I was going to be sick, but I felt like I needed to eat a little something every few hours. It was strange, but I was too busy to really pay it any attention. It wasn't until I was rudely awoken the next morning, by the same churning in my stomach and the need to vomit. I had barely eaten anything with flavor or spice yesterday so there was no reason for vomiting two days in a row. As I dried my face with a towel, I examined my skin. It was a lot clearer than it usually was for this time of the month. My thoughts halted when the realization hit me. I should have gotten my period by now. I opened the top drawer of my vanity and pulled out my birth control pills. My period should have come a couple of weeks ago, but it never did. No period and vomiting in the morning. Oh god, I might be pregnant. My first thoughts were of Kol. He already felt that moving in together was moving too fast, what would he think of a baby? I was pulled from my thoughts when my stomach growled in protest of being empty. I raced through my morning routines with my thoughts focused on buying a pregnancy test at my lunch break.<p>

* * *

><p>When lunch finally rolled around, I called one of my best friends, who also happens to be engaged to Kol's older brother. "Hey Care."<p>

"Lauren, how are you?" Caroline's bright voice replied.

"I kind of need you, right now." I tried not to cry, but I needed someone with me while I took this test. I'm only 22 years old and I don't think I could handle it by myself.

"Ok, where are you?" Caroline took on a serious tone.

"I'm in the bathrooms at Starbucks." I replied, timidly.

"The bathrooms?" Caroline questioned. "I'll be there in about three minutes."

Sure enough, three minutes later, Caroline was knocking on the door. "Hey, Lauren. I'm here."

I unlocked the door and let her into the large one person bathroom. "Thanks."

"You know I'm here for you. But I do wish you would tell me why I am here." Caroline gave me one of her patented looks as she locked the door behind her.

I held up the unopened box, containing the pregnancy test. Caroline looked from the box to me, back to the box. Then her eyes settled on me. "Ok." Caroline nodded and grabbed the box from me. She ripped it open and handed me the stick. "Just pee on it for a few seconds, then put the cap back on and let it sit on the sink. I'll set the timer on my phone and we will just talk while we wait." Caroline turned her back to give me a little privacy.

Once I finished what I needed to do, I set the stick on the edge of the sink. "Why are you so calm and how did you even know what to do?" I asked.

"Klaus and I had a scare a few months ago." Caroline admitted.

"And you never told me?!" I was a little hurt.

"It was nothing. Just a scare. It was when we were training for that half marathon. Even on the pill, excessive exercise can effect things, I guess. I had only been two days late." Caroline replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm more like two weeks late." I mumbled. But I could tell by the shocked expression on Caroline's face that she heard me. Before Caroline could come with something to say, the timer on her phone went off. I just stared at Caroline, pleading with her, with my eyes, for her to check it.

Caroline offered a small smile and lifted the pregnancy test off the sink. She stared at the test for a minute, no doubt trying to decide how to tell me the results. But Caroline can be blunt and honest, so I knew she would just give me the news without sugar coating it. "It's positive. You're pregnant." I slid to the ground in a pile of sobs. Caroline sat down on the dirty bathroom floor next to me and hugged me tight. "I can stay with you when you call him, if you want." I looked up at her, with dread in my eyes. "You have to Laure. You have to tell Kol." Caroline said the five words that I feared.

I shook my head slightly. "I'm going to wait until he comes home. Then I can tell him, face to face." Caroline nodded and continued to hold me for a couple of minutes. Then she called us both in sick for the rest of the day. We went back to my apartment and just ate ice cream and watched movies. Not talking about the baby, but that was what I needed.

* * *

><p>Kol came back the next day, but it was late at night. He sent me a text that he was home and crashing at his place. He promised to see me the next afternoon. Sure enough, when I left work for the day, Kol was standing outside by my car, looking handsome and relaxed. I wondered how much longer he would look relaxed for.<p>

"Hello, darling." Kol's charming, accented voice wafted over me.

"Hi Kol. I missed you." I wrapped my arms around his neck.

Kol pulled me closer by my waist and attacked my mouth with his. We stood in the parking lot of the restaurant I worked at making out for a few minutes. "Miss you too." Kol admitted. "Let's go grab some dinner."

"Can we just got back to my apartment? I'll order us Chinese or pizza or something." I was tired and I needed to come clean about the baby. I figured it would be better to tell him in a private setting, in case he freaked out.

"Uh sure." Kol seemed to sense that something was up, but he didn't ask. He just led me to the passenger seat of my car and helped me in. He went around to the driver's side and slid in. We drove back to my apartment with Kol rambling on about his business trip.

We got to my apartment and I ordered pizza then we chatted about nothing in particular while we waited for it to arrive. We ate in relative silence and I built up my nerve. "Kol, I need to talk to you."

Kol narrowed his eyes and he almost looked like he was getting ready for fight. No doubt, he assumed I was bringing up the living together thing again. "Ok."

"Um, I'm not entirely sure how to say this. But, um." I stumbled over my words. No matter how many ways I thought to tell him, I never came up with one that seemed perfect. How do you tell your commitment-phobic boyfriend you are pregnant?

"Lauren, are you ok?" Kol scooted closer to me on the couch and grabbed my hand. The worry was evident in his eyes and he scanned my face looking for signs of hurt or pain.

I sighed, it was now or never. "Kol, I'm pregnant."

The words seemed to echo in Kol's head for a minute or two. Kol dropped my hand and the worry in his eyes faded to coldness. "Is this a joke? Is this something you came up with to convince me we need to live together?"

I didn't expect him to be over the moon happy, but the accusations hurt. "No joke. I'm pregnant. I took the test two days ago."

"I thought you were on the pill." Kol grumbled as he stood up and walked to the window.

"I was, am. Was?" I was so confused. I had to stop taking it now that I was pregnant.

"And you are sure it's mine?" Kol spat out.

I couldn't believe he would think like that. "Yes, it's yours. Your baby." I shouted, tears freely trailing down my cheeks.

"And you are telling me this because you plan to keep it?" Kol deducted, slowly spinning around to look at me.

I viscously wiped the tears away from my eyes. "Yes. I want to keep the baby." I said softly.

"Think about this, Lauren. We are young. You are only 22, I'm only 24. I'm not ready to be a dad. I don't even know if I want to ever be a dad. Lauren, it might be better for us if you aborted it." Kol said, as gently as he could considering how fired up he was.

"No!" I was determined to stand my ground. "I'm keeping the baby."

"So I suppose then you are going to want my help? Or is it my money you want? Which are you after, Lauren?" Kol accused.

"You know what, Kol? I don't want anything from you. Just get out!" I screamed, releasing all my worry and fears into anger and tears.

Kol looked back and shook his head slightly and let himself out. I crumbled to the floor and continued to cry. The man I loved, the father of my baby, wanted nothing to do with me anymore.

* * *

><p>Kol didn't even know what to think. So he did what he always did when he had a problem. He called his older brothers and begged them to go out drinking. Kol was already seated at a table, nursing a glass of scotch when Klaus came grumbling in. "I haven't seen my gorgeous fiancé much in the past couple of days. I'm here. What's the emergency?" Klaus flagged down a waitress as Elijah slid into one of the empty seats.<p>

Klaus and Elijah placed their orders and Kol cleared his throat. "Lauren's pregnant." He murmured.

Klaus' eyes grew to a comical size and Elijah nearly coughed up a lung. "Are you sure?" Klaus asked once he found his voice. "Caroline had a little scare a while ago. But it was nothing."

"She certainly is sure." Kol took a swig of his drink.

The waitress dropped of Klaus and Elijah's drinks and Elijah took a sip before asking. "What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?" Kol asked.

"Are you keeping the baby?" Klaus asked, before gulping down his drink.

"She is." Kol finished his drink and motioned for the waitress to bring him another.

"She is?" Elijah reiterated. Kol nodded and thanked the waitress for the drink. "What part are you going to play in the child's life, Kol?"

Klaus relaxed into his chair, knowing that Elijah was about to give Kol a lecture on responsibility. But he knew that Kol needed it. If Caroline had been pregnant, Klaus knew he would have married her right then and there. He would do anything for her. Klaus knew Kol had some deep feelings for Lauren, but he just needed to get over himself. Maybe this baby would be the push he needed.

"I don't want the baby. I told her that. I'm not ready to be a dad." Kol repeated what he had told Lauren.

"Then maybe you should have kept it in your pants." Klaus replied.

"Niklaus!" Elijah admonished, but Klaus just shrugged. "So you thought that even though she wants the child, she should get rid of it because that's what you want?" Elijah tried to clarify.

"Yes." Kol finished his drink. "I should get a choice in the matter."

"You do get a choice." Elijah sat back, with a hint of a smile on his face. "Your choice is to man up and take care of Lauren and the baby. Or be a coward and run away from responsibility."

"I'm not a coward." Kol growled. Elijah just smiled and Klaus rolled his eyes.

"You say you aren't ready because you don't want to be ready. Having a baby with Lauren means you will have to commit, if not to Lauren, but to that child. You are a coward for running away from something you fear." Elijah took a couple of sips of his drink and leaned forward. "Do you love her?"

"Lauren?" Elijah nodded. "Of course I do. I've never felt about someone, the way I feel about her. I look forward to seeing her and I miss her when she's not around." Kol admitted.

"Have you ever told her that?" Klaus asked.

Kol looked down at his drink. "No."

Klaus shook his head and tossed some money on the table. "Elijah's right. Man up, little brother. Tell Lauren you love her." Klaus left so he could return to his fiancé.

"If you really love Lauren, you will be willing to figure this out. Think about it, Kol." Elijah tossed his cash on the table and left to go see his wife and daughter.

Kol sighed and thought about what his brother's said. He really did love Lauren. She was one of the good things in his life right now. This child could either tear them apart or bring them closer together. It was up to him. Kol left some money on the table and ran to Lauren's apartment. He used his spare key to let himself up to her door. Then he knocked.

I opened the door and had to blink a few times. My eyes were cloudy from crying myself to sleep. But through the fog, I could recognize Kol's tall, slender stature. His dark hair tousled from the day. "Kol." I whispered.

"I was wrong, Lauren." Kol said, leaving me stunned. He didn't push past me to enter the apartment, he just stood there, looking sad and vulnerable. "The way I reacted. It was wrong. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I want to be there for you, with you. You and our baby."

The way Kol said 'our baby' practically made me melt and I almost forgot why I was crying in the first place. "Are you being serious? This isn't something you can back out of. This is the long haul." I don't know why I was giving him an out. Perhaps because I loved him and I didn't want him to feel stuck with me and the baby.

"I'm serious. I love you, Lauren. I. Love. You."

His words took me by surprise. I launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and crying, lightly into his shoulder. "I love you too." I replied, muffled by the fabric of his shirt. Kol's arms closed around my body, tightly. He carried me into the apartment and placed me on my feet. Kol took my hand and led me to the couch. He sat down and pulled me down, so I was cuddled into his side. "So what does this mean?" I asked, looking up at him with wide eyes.

Kol smiled at me, cheekily. "I guess this means we are going to get that place together, after all."


End file.
